Extension-table



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-.-Sheet 1.

J. COUCH.

EXTENSION TABLE.

No. 495,723. PatentedApr.18,189B.

,(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

J. COUCH.

EXTENSION TABLE. No. 495,723. 0 Patented Apr. 18, 1893.

M ll-TIM Unrrn *STATES ATEN'I anion.

JOEL COUCH, OF CLAYTON, NEW YORK.

EXTENSION-TABLE.

:PEGIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 495,723, dated April 18, 1893. Application fil ed October 1 5,1892. Serial No. 448,992. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOEL COUCH, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Clayton, in the county of Jefferson and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Extension-Tables; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to extension tables, and it has for its object the production of a table of this description which shall discard entirely the expensive, heavy, inconvenient and otherwise objectionable slides and separate leaves which are a feature of the tables commonly in use, and which shall nevertheless be simple and easy of manipulation, and have capacity for ample extension, and contraction to a small compass.

To the ends indicated my invention consists in the table and the parts thereof constructed and combined substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter specified.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a bottom View showing the table but partially extended. Fig. 2, is a vertical section on the line ac, a: of Fig. 1.

My tabletop comprises three sections A, A,

and B, the former being end and the latter a middle section, each supported on a suitable leg a, and connected by and to folding and extensible sections of peculiar construction, placed between each edge of the middle section and the adjoining end section. Since the two structures are duplicates, but one will be described. The table forming part of said folding and extensible sections consists of two leaves, C, C, hinged together and one of which is hinged to the edge of the middle section B and the other to the inner edge of the end section A. When the middle and end sections are drawn apart to the proper extent, said leaves are moved to a horizontal position in the same plane with said sections, while when said sections are moved toward each other until their edges abut, said leaves will fold in toward each other and drop wholly below the table top formed by said sections, the hinging of the leaves to the sections being as shown, to produce this result.

In the inner face of the leg or of the end section A, I form a vertical groove a, and in a postD depending from the under side of the middle section B near its edge a like groove d. Pivoted respectively to the said leg at and the post D, are two bars E and F, that ex tend 1n directions cross-wise of each other, being pivotally connected together where they intersect, and the bar E having its free end 1n the groove d of the post D whilethe bar F has its free end in the groove in the leg at. These ends are retained in and compelled to move up and down in the grooves, by means of pins or projections on them which engage lips or flanges on the outer sides of the grooves.

Pivoted to and carried by one of the bars E and F, near theirpoint of connection, 1s a weighted arm G whose lighter upper end is adapted to engage one of the leaves 0, C on its under side when extended, and prevent the accidental collapse of the same, either by weight upon them or by movement of the table.

To hold the end sections and the middle section together when the leaves are folded, I pivot a latch I-I near each edge of the middle section not far from its side, havlng a hooked end to engage a pin near the edge of the end section. A handle it is pivoted to said latch whose free end is placed within convenient reach for manipulation of the latch from the table side. Preferably, a leaf I is hinged to each end section of usual construction, and suitable cleats and framing are applied to the under side of the leaves and the sections A and B.

To fold the table when extended, it is simply necessary to disengage the arm G from the under side of the leaves 0, 0, then press the latter downward a little, and then to shove the end sections toward the middle, until the edges meet, and the leaves are moved wholly beneath them. To open or extend the table the end and middle sections are pulled apart, whereupon the leaves C, C, will be opened out and upward, until in line with each other in a horizontal plane and there lockedby the arm G.

It will be observed that it is a necessary requirement in the construction of the table that the central hinge, at the point at which the table top folds downward, is placed upon the top of the table, while the side hinges are secured to the under surface of the table top. By this arrangement of the hinges it is necessary that in collapsing of the table top the side hinges, which are upon a lower horizontal plane, must separate slightly before the central hinge, in the act of collapsing the top reaches the plane of the side hinges. This feature doubtless adds to the efficiency of the table in sustaining a weight.

In the drawings I show one side of the table extended and the other folded.

It will be understood that the legs a a are sufficiently heavy and strong to prevent their being moved by the pressure or weight upon the leaves when the table is in its extended position as shown in Fig. 2; when in this position the arm G is in its vertical position and one of the leaves bears thereupon as Will be seen from Fig. 2. Ordinarily the table is not to be supported upon casters so that the frictional engagement of the legs with the floor is such that the table cannot be collapsed by any weight placed thereon when the parts are in the position in which they are shown in Fig. 2.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim to be new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of the two table sections movable toward and from each other, the two leaves hinged to each other and to said sections, and adapted to drop below the latter when brought together, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination with the two table sections movable toward and from each other, the leaves hinged to each other and to said sections, the two guides, the two pivoted bars pivoted to each other, and engaging said guides, and the arm carried by said bars, substantially as described.

7 In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOEL COUOI-I. Witnesses:

WILL. M. TILTON, D. B. BRESLAW. 

